What would you do if your daughter or son said they were quitting gymnastics? Would you push them to stay? Would you let them go? Read Leonora Anton’s story published on Tampa Bay Times for a real life example of what a parent goes through.
Before my daughter was truly Lauren, she was a gymnast.
She was 7 when she joined her buddy Elizabeth for a tumbling class at Tampa Bay Turners. She had nice clean lines and a kind of rubber band flexibility, so they moved her into their competitive program quickly. I still have her first leotard. It’s a purple velvet number speckled with silver flecks. It would fit an American Girl doll.
At her first meet, one of her toughest skills was a tiny leap on the beam. Watching her compete was like a roller coaster ride. Would she stay on the beam? Swing around the parallel bars just right? More often than not, she did.
Her competitions — as she progressed through gymnastic’s levels — became family affairs with aunts, cousins, grandparents in attendance.
When she was 11, she earned first place all-around for her level in the state, all ages. It was an incredible moment, and I started believing that maybe she was good enough to get a college scholarship.
Then the injuries started. She fractured the growth plate in one wrist, then the other. Later, there was an ankle fracture. After that, the fear crept in. The skills were getting harder, and the back handspring on the beam gave her anxiety. Her palms often had giant blisters from the bars. I asked her often if she still wanted to do gymnastics. She always said yes.
This past year, she entered high school. Her gymnastics schedule had grown to five days a week, more than 20 hours, and it seemed like all she ever did was work out and do her homework. She often stayed up late trying to get it done, and I worried about her injuring herself while trying to learn the difficult Level 9 skills.
We were driving home after a vacation in Virginia a few weeks ago when she told me: “Mom, I’m done with gymnastics.” Just like that. After almost eight years — about half her life — she was ready to trade in her leotard for a life outside the gym. She said the sport wasn’t as much fun anymore. She was tired of being afraid.
I’d met several parents over the years who told their daughters to buck up and keep going. I knew others who wished their daughters would quit but weren’t sure how to broach the subject.
My first comment surprised me. I told Lauren I was proud of her for making such a huge decision on her own. And I truly was.
She wanted to stop immediately. I asked her to go back one last time, to make sure.
On the day of her final practice, I realized a little late in the day that this might be the last time I’d ever see her perform. I raced to get out of work. When I got to Tampa Bay Turners, I peered through the giant picture window at the sea of girls — the bouncy tykes tiptoeing down the fat beam, the muscled high schoolers with their knee braces and their ankle tape doing back tucks on the skinny beam. Then I spotted Lauren in a corner doing her end-of-workout run.
I’d missed it. I would never see her do a double back handspring on the beam again.
I looked around. The waiting room was as it had been for as long as I could remember. A mom I’d known for three years was talking to a dad I’d known for six. The newbie moms were parked with their laptops and their iPads and their art projects at the table in the front, one eye glued to their pony-tailed progeny through the window. There was a large picture of my daughter taped to the door of the gym, a shot of her at the apex of her “giant” on the bars, tall and perfectly straight, the moment of one of her last gymnastics achievements, a 9.750 at a meet in Louisiana in March.
I realized we were leaving this tiny microcosm — her fellow gymnasts, their parents, her coaches, her future in gymnastics — and now the tears were slipping down my cheeks.
It was like that for the next three days. It was like a death.
My daughter, on the other hand, felt relief. She was sad to leave a place that had been such a big part of her life. But she didn’t have to worry about the fear anymore or the stress of juggling gymnastics and schoolwork. She couldn’t understand why I was crying.
Had I not wanted her to quit? she asked me.
No, it was the right decision, I replied. I just needed time to grieve.
I thought of all the money I’d invested in her sport, hundreds of dollars a month, the trips to competitions in Cancun and New York City. We could have probably paid off a year at a fancy out-of-state college. I thought about all the time she’d spent trying to get her full twist on the floor, her flipping tsuk on the vault, her double back handspring on the beam. How many hours — no, days — had she spent trying to master just one of those skills? What could she have done instead with all that time?
It took me a few days to realize that the huge investment of time had made her who she was now. She’d had to be organized to get her homework done. She was meticulous, focused and strong. Gymnastics had done that.
She’d learned to take risks. She’d learned to fight fear. She’d learned perseverance in the face of disappointment. She’d learned to succeed at one of the toughest sports on earth. She’d learned to give it up on her terms.
Grief turned to relief. No more worry about the sport’s impact on her body. All that cash back in my bank account. We could actually take family vacations. But I thought about her identity. More than half her life had been spent as a gymnast. I wondered, would she feel lost without her sport?
Two weeks later, I watched Lauren put on the green and black Speedo of St. Petersburg High School’s swim team. I held my breath as she stepped onto the diving board.
All eyes were on my daughter as she flew into a front somersault full twist, then cut through the water in the deep end. Her classmates — her teammates — cheered. Now she was competing for her school. She smiled as she pulled herself out of the pool.
My daughter, the athlete.
I am in tears right now reading this because we’re contemplating on taking our newly turned 9 yr old out. It doesn’t seem like her passion and actually, it doesn’t seem like she cares. She’s really just there because of the social time with friends. This past comp season was her 2nd year competing level 3 and we don’t see her moving up to level 4 because if her back handspring. We moved from a different gym where she didn’t even qualify for state the first time around. This year she placed 8th AA. She’s just mediocre and I think too it’s because of the lack of wanting to do better (She’s been doing gym since 3 yrs old). Her back handspring is a nightmare and inconsistent due to fear and lack of confidence. We feel like we’re spending so much money (a low income family) with very very little progression. But it hurts so much to call it quits. Soooo, anyway those were my thoughts as I read this. Lol Just hurt. 🙁
I could have written this, it was surreal reading it. My daughter was same age, same level, had just gone to Easterns, and was done when high school started. I was sad, happy, worried, relieved. She took everything she learned and made academics her new blood sport. I miss watching her, but I know she is right where she should be now.
Thank you for your text. My daughter decided to quit gymnastics two weeks ago. And it’s so true; it’s like dying for me while it’s a relief for her. She thought long time about it before telling me. So it hits me like a bus while she’s already moving forward. All these feelings you’re writing I know them now. But I also looking forward to the new life outside the micro cosmos of gymnastics
I have been in your shoes. Last August my 16 year old Elite gymnast told me she was done after 12 years! I had a feeling it was coming since we were nursing her 3rd concussion, going to PT 3 times a week, massage 2 times a week and icing two ankles and a knee nightly. I, too had the three day grief period. What was I to do with all the time now? Driving her 6 days a week an hour round trip twice a day was alot of time. We went to 30 states, Canada, England…phew. The most important part was she turned into a much happier version of herself. She began Strongman and Ironman competitons. At 16 she is poised to be nationally ranked against 28 year old women! We were at a big named gym that sent MANY girls to Olympics abd 100s to colleges on full rides. Spent ALOT just on competition leos alone. The 12 years did indeed make her who she is and will continue to form who she will be. She is much more mature than other kids her age and has respect for everyone…traits formal gymnastics gives them. They were good years and i occasionally wish to see her triple on floor or her full-in just once more live and in person, but I love the happier version of my daughter even more than that!
I have tears in my eyes as my daughter is going in this direction and I feel for you. But, the silver lining that you helped me realize – if and when that day comes- I can view it as shaping her as who she is at that moment.
I also feel like it has taken over our life, but she is happy and wants to keep going. Level 3 but training to move into level 4 and already doing level 5 stuff. I’m clueless in all the names of everything and would rather stay that way. I don’t want to be that mother that forces her to continue. But at the same time, it is all an investment.
I don’t know what the future holds but thank you for writing this and helping me see your side in a new light.
As parents, we do our best – is it enough or too much?
God bless…
Reading this was like someone jumped into my head and my heart. My daughter started gymnastics at 3. She is 12 and will be saying good bye. We live almost and from the gym and it’s been our lives for nine years. Cheerleading and track are what brings her joy along with representing her school.
I feel like I’m leaving family behind. The relationships you build. Are amazing and the experience will be cherished.
I’m reading and I’m thinking ugh I need an answer my daughter is 7 and is entering into level 3. She expressed that she wants to try cheerleading and she doesn’t want to spend 12 hours a week doing Gymnastics. She good but I don’t want to discourage my daughter from trying different sports. Her coach wasn’t supportive which made it hard for me and my daughter. This whole process is too much for a 7 year old
Hi Tarolyn, I’m glad that you’re daughter made a decision to quit gymnastics after all the hard times she had been going through. Maybe she could try cheerleading or any different sport. Also, I agree that gymnastics is a dangerous sport, even to young girls. Any thank you for understanding the cons of gymnastics and thank you for having sympathy for your daughter.
News so fresh for us. We are on our 3rd week of my daughter gym retirement. Yes, she had to quit her long great running career. It wasn’t a total surprise since she started bringing it up a year ago. We talked and she was open to give it one more year. Summer came with hard upgrades for level 7. Out of the blue, with tears in her eyes….”Mom, I can’t do gym anymore.” I can see it in her painful face, it is over for her. Gym is not fun anymore. 13 years old and real fear settling in.
Balancing school and gym getting harder. That announcement hurt so deeply. It’s like you are losing a big piece in your life. Then I realize all I think is how it affects me. How bad I felt. Once we agreed for her to quit, her face lit up with relief. All the burden in the world is lifted. Trust me it will still hurt us parents a while. All these facebook memories we bragged about our kids are not helping either. But I have to think back to that sign of relief in her face. This is about her. I am sharing this to give other moms hope. One door closes, always another door open. We are on our 3rd week. We start to enjoy little things together again like walking the dog or go jogging. She is not too tired any more to do those things. She ventured out to other interest she never has time for like art and sewing. We tried to encourage physical activities, diving, track and dance is NOT an option LOL. She finally discovered she enjoyed Aerial Art which is a perfect cross over for gymnast. In conclusion, for all soon-to-be retiring gym moms, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Let your kid guide you and take their time. Things will be ok.
Hello all! I am 36 and as a former gymnast in my youth I look back and wish I had never done it! I do understand the love for a sport and I really enjoyed it and then the worst injury happened and I ended up with 4 spinal surgeries. Not only were these so very painful and emotionally taxing, I still have back problems and cannot work. I moved back home for the latest spinal surgery and it’s very hard to not be able to have done the things I always thought I would have by this time. Like getting married and having babies. If your child wants out it might be hard for a parent but get them out before they have an injury that changes their life! You all are great parents for listening to your children and letting them discover new sports and interests. Have a happy Sunday y’all. Just wanted to leave a little different perspective 😊
I am here 3 years after this post. My daughter is almost 12 and national level 6 gymnastics. She has done gym since she was 4 and has always loved it. About 6 weeks ago she told me she wanted to quit. I thought it was just a phase but she has been in tears telling me she doesn’t like it any more. Only a month ago she won a big competition, but that wasn’t enough to keep her spirit up. Today I told her coaches she was leaving. I am surprised at how sad I feel and how I wish she wanted to keep going, but she is done. I know she has made the right decision for her.
This may as well be our story. My daughter was the same, two time provincial champ, more accolades that we had shelf space for. The years of travel and sacrifices. However my daughter had a head coach that hated her and held her back at every turn. Refused to let her try out for the higher teams though she out paced everyone around her. One meet saw her roll her ankle so badly it turned out to be her last meet because the head coach used it to kick her off the team. I bawled when I realized not only was she not allowed to go out on her own terms but also we’d never get to see her skills again. She is now a coach and is a great motivator and mentor. Thanks for the story!!
It’s so hard to see your child love a sport, you love their sport, make team friends, and parent friends and then have them make a huge decision to leave that sport. I saw my son play football for 8 yrs, then quit due to a concussion . Like many of you I cried for 3 days. I now know it was the best decision of his life so far. My daughter who has been in gymnastics for 11 years, just had spinal fusion surgery for severe scoliosis wants to go back to gymnastics. I have mixed emotions. Some selfish and some realistic. Reading others replies makes me feel not alone, but happy to know we move on and realize our kids know their bodies the best and want to be healthy and happy. Whatever my daughter decides, it will be hard on me, but I’d be proud of her like you all were that they made that big decision on their own. They put themselves first!
I feel like I need a support group to deal with the grieving over “what could have been”. My daughter just left the sport after nearly 10 years in competitive gymnastics. Training for level 9 with 25 hours a week at the gym, and trying to juggle entry into high school, just proved to be too much. Despite my consistent “check ins” over a decade of this sport, to make sure she was still happy and loving it, it wasn’t enough – they learn to compartmentalize things, and can answer automatically, “yes, I’m fine! I’m good! I’m happy” – even when they may not be. Plenty of injuries have come throughout the years and her latest, a broken bone in her elbow, had her out of true training at the gym for almost 2 months — she had time to think, to realize, “what am I doing?!”. She told me that she had likely felt this way for longer than the couple months of this latest injury, but just didn’t know it, and not being in the gym full time made her realize that she wasn’t physically or mentally as healthy as she wanted to be, even though she was successful in the sport. I do believe this sport gave her so much, it definitely provided her with a great foundation and plenty of tools to be successful at other things. Although I’m heartbroken at this loss, letting her make this decision on her terms, at this time, is the good in all this. I look forward to this next phase of her life and will have gymnastics to thank for the success that is headed her way.
As a gymnastics/dance instructor I was really worried about what this story was going to say after the title. This is the right choice. I love teaching your kids if they want to be there, but don’t force your kids to do something they don’t want to. Thank you. Also when thinking of all the money you invested in your child’s gymnastics, remember she learned so much more than gymnastics skills. Dedication, time management, working hard, working with others, taking directions. Those skills will stay with her forever
I was a gymnast; the sport teaches you all those things and it translates into skills that help you succeed later on. Persistence! Determination! Physical fitness! It’s an individual sport, you learn how to intensely focus and that your success is in your hands and is determined by your hard work. I continued on through college and finally transitioned to coaching then done when I started my doctorate. I miss it. I still love it. I’m 38 now.
I absolutely felt very word you wrote this actually what happened with my beautiful amazing daughter in September last year. She now rows and absolutely loves it #my daughter the athlete too xxx
My little gymnast is 7 soon to be 8. She has been in gymnastics since she was 3. We noticed her “gift” when at 2.5 years old like most little kids they mimic their older siblings. Well our little one did a cartwheel and the splits a few months shy of her 3rd birthday. We were amazed but we just assumed she was a dare devil. It was a few months before we decided to try a basic tumbling class. She loved it quickly,excelled and was placed into a pre comp team and the rest is history. Now 4years into a series routine of three days out the week we basically live at the gym. She is on a different team this year with some older girls..that because she the youngest and more “wiggly” then others shes been picked on.weve discussed it with the coach. It seems to have gotten better however that moment in time…the constant feeling of not being accepted, treated fairly, and. Ot doing as well as others has now tarnished her fun place. She doesnt enjoy the sport anymore. She has said very clearly that after this comp season she would be done. I’m sad for her because I think with maturity and age shell do great but I also dont want this to be a negative weight on her shoulders. It’s hard being the parent and knowing things will get better but they dont see it that way. I want to support her decision but I also dont want her to quit….😔
I know the story well !! I understand the tears and the grief of our gymnast calling it quits. My son was a National gymnast and his High School year as a freshman after two surgeries on his wrist he decided he was finished. It was so hard on everyone and than he went to dive for the High School where he holds the record. He loved diving and doing a high school sport.
Today he has graduated from Ga. Tech with his Bachelors and Masters degree in Civil Engineering and holds a awesome job with a big company.
So proud of him and it all turns out in the end.
Gymnastics is an amazing sport and a wonderful family and we still stay in touch with all the families and the amazing part of it is all went to schools and became successful in a different field.
I am a mom of twin girls who are L4s and this story hits the nail on the head. It’s like a balance beam, trying to balance training, friends , family , and school work. We have a good days and we have our bad days. They want to quit, but then they nail a skill and that quitting attitude goes away. The gym is their second home, their teammates are like sisters. They love hard and fight hard with each other. I always tell parents to really think about having their kids in this sport cause it’s full dedication. Just like the story it’s made my girls organized, hardworking, dedicated, and phenomenal athletes. But when it’s their time to say goodbye I know it’s the right time
Wow!! This was like looking in a mirror reading this. I am a dad of a retired level 9 gymnast who fighting through injury had a great year, made regionals and then broke the news to us over dinner that she was done and “would I be dissapointed in her”?. My comment was “never would I be dissapointed in her decision.” She learned sacrifice, work life balance, how to win gracefully and how to lose, how to set goals, how to level set when things do not go your way and she learned how to balance school and spend 20 plus hours a week in gym with Zero validation from coaches. It was hard to think of her walking away so close to whatever we all thought the goal was..a D1 scholarship? Heck with gymnasts its like winning the lottery since there are only 61 D1 schools that have it but we all believe our kid is the next big thing and why shouldnt we.
Gymnastics coaches in USAG..yes we all know what a debacle this has been. Most USAG coaches are not what I would call good with young women nor do they provide mentoring and validation… they break your kid mentally and physically and you fix them. Most of the positive things your gymnast learns is on them and their teammates and friends as that gym group is all they know and the only circle that identifies with them.
For a parent it was relief it finally was over and fear of what the heck now???…what will she become, do, want, succeed at??? The identity struggle at the end of her freshman year was difficult for her and for us. They all go throught that…. She tried swimming, track, cheer , cheerleading and decided to step on a diving board. She wanted to prove to herself she was worthy of competing in something else and being good….you see gymnastics is not a participation sport at a high level and there is somehting about winning and competing they strive for when they no longer are in the gym and traveling all over the country. She fell short of her own expectations…not ours..swimming she wasnt a club swimmer for 10 years so fell short, cheer she hated the drama and lackluster effort of others, track she did ok at.
She decided to jump on a diving board. She went to state finals as a junior her first year and quit as a senior as she joined club diving after highschool that summer. She had a full list in 3 months and qulaified for Zone championships on both boards and her senior year had 5 D1 NCAA visits….she now dives for D1 in college on a scholarship and had a fantastic freshman season competing in a competitive conference beating divers that have been diving USA since age 10-12. To sum it up… she gained all of this from a very thankless sport called Gymnastics…it taught her more than twisting and flipping. The transition although she made it look easy was certainly not…I love and hate the sport like every other parent and your article brought back some very real feelings about what now?? Whats next for this amazing little person?
Thank you for throwing that out there! I have met so many parents that feel this same way and have encountered all the mixed emotion that comes with such a difficult sport and what may be the first of real difficult decision of your beloved daughter.
Thank you for posting this. My story is similar though the sport is far different. My daughter competed in the AA Circuit Hunter Jumpers, Dressage and eventuallymade it to Mini Prix Jumpers. 3 shows away from her 1st Grand Prix show and she ages out of her Jr. Career.
(Horseback riding) Goes off to college, refuses to ride for school or even come home to ride. Though she’s only an hour away. Its been 4 yrs and I’m still heartbroken. I miss the other show moms, who have all moved on to collegent teams. Traveling, early mornings in the barn and breakfast with the girls in the stands before checking in. She doesn’t understand why I feel the way I do and thinks I should just get over myself. But for 16 yrs that was our thing. You see, I rode when I was young but my mom wasn’t into horses like I was and to share that passion was an unbelievable feeling. I almost feel like I’ve lost a part of my identity. Now she’s 23, done with school, working full time and engaged. She’ll be starting her master’s program soon and I fear she and I will never have days like that again. Call me crazy but it’s like I’m mourning our relationship and her Jr. Yr.
Thank you so much for posting your beautiful inspirational story. I am not a mom but a dad in the same situation. I loved what she did so much I would watch most of her practices I was so proud of her taking 1st place at regional s in bronze level the 1st place on vault in state. I paid for her to get a day of training with Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez. But last year was rough 3 in the morning in the hospital having a sepsis infection from a rip on bars still competing the next day face panting on beam because her arm gave out from IV in her arm all night still got back up and finished taking 1st on vault. Her coach said he felt she had so much power she was one of a few who could do a front front on vault. Then bad break on top of her foot 3/4″ deep from hitting the spring board so hard. 4 months out then Covid-19 hit know says she is done. You had so much great incite in your article thank you. I was in tears last night because I saw in her she is done. But you highlighted all the great things that will be with her for the rest of her life. She went from almost being held back in 7th grade to an honors program in HS all because of the discipline learned in gymnastics
Wow. I needed to read this today. My daughter is 13, competing level 7. She’s competed since she was 6. She’s had injuries that have allowed fears to creep in over the years as the skills get scarier. She is also not the darling of the gym, and I question to myself, (not to her) whether or not her coaches even like her. She is not a “suck-up” and hates drama, so if it quacks, she will call it a duck if you know what I mean. But she loves her gym, her coaches, her teammates, this sport. So when she comes home every now and then and says she got yelled at, singled out, flat out embarrassed by her coaches, especially her favorite coach, in front of everyone (when other girls were doing similar things), it is heartbreaking to just be the mom that listens without taking action. She never wants me to say anything to her coaches bc “that will make it worse.” I only hear from her coaches when they want to tell me what she’s doing wrong, but rarely what she’s doing right. My brain says the balance of these comments is not healthy. But, as you said, this path is hers to take – if she stays with gymnastics, I will support her. When she is ready to hang up the grips, I will support her. I just wish I knew what to say to her coaches so that they would build her up more and increase her confidence.
Im so glad I came across this post. My son who is nearly 9 has been doing men’s artistic gymnastics since he was 5. Now training 16 hours a week he is done with the sport. He is relieved he won’t be spending much of his free time training and still Training at home. I, on the other hand, feel devastated and have such a big lump in my chest. I had huge expectations of him and aspirations for his future. I am absolutely devastated but I must get over it and accept that this is his life and he must do what makes him happy. He has entered competitive gymnastics and he seems to like it. Time will tell.